Stock flow distributor



Oct. 30, 1962 c. w. E. WALKER STOCK FLOW DISTRIBUTOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed May 18, 1959 l l I I l l l I llL llllllllPll llllllllv.

Oct. 30, 1962 c. w. E. WALKER 3,051,008

STOCK FLOW DISTRIBUTOR Filed May 18, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Charles W E.Walker Oct. 30, 1962 c. w. E. WALKER 3,061,008

STOCK FLOW DISTRIBUTOR Filed May 18. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ,Q Zia/7a R.z-g. 105 I Ezazzfar Charles W E. Walker 3,061,t 08- STUCK FLOWDISTREUTGR Charles W. E. Walker, Beloit, Wis., assignor to Beloit IronWorks, Beloit, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin:

Filed May 18, 1959, Ser. No. 813,743 11 Claims. (Cl. 162-338) Thisinvention relates generally to improvements providing uniformlydistributed and directed flow in fluid systems and is particularlyadapted to desirable uniform distribution in stock feed apparatus forpaper making machines, and more particularly to an improved method andapparatus for controlling the flow of paper making stock to obtaincompletely uniform flow velocity across a flow area with an absence oflateral flow components to insure uniform flow conditions and fiberdistribution across the entire width of a forming surface of a papermachine.

According to the present invention, the paper stock is fed directly orby a feeder onto a paper forming surface, such as in a Fourdrinier orcylinder type machine from a supply chamber or feed box. A supply offlowing stock is received from a stock supply conduit. Between thefeeder and supply conduit is located a distributor which controls theflow velocity, flow rate and flow direction in such a manner as toobtain a flow stream for the feeder which has a uniform flow velocityover the width of the stream, has uniform quantity flow rate across thestream, and maintains flow with an absence of lateral velocitycomponents across the flow to introduce the stock to the feeder forimproved deposit on the forming surface. With these uniform flowconditions, an even fiber deposition occurs across the entire width ofthe paper making machine forming surface to obtain improved operation,and improved paper quality.

A feature of the machine is the provision of a distributor of the abovedescribed type which restricts the flow stream in a taperingwedge-shaped sector directing it through an arc toward the slot in apath, with the arc being formed by the curved back of the sector withthe back having a curvature with the proper attenuation to obtaindesirable flow velocities of the stock and control the velocities andaccelerations throughout the crosssectional area of the stream so thatthe stream will flow through the slot at uniform velocities and uniformquantity rates across the entire width of the slot, and with a completeabsence of lateral or cross flow components through the slot, except fordesirable micro turbulence.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an improved fiowdistributor for handling paper stock or the like which will obtain acontrolled flow stream for a paper machine in which cross flowvelocities and variances in velocities throughout the stream areeliminated, so that the stock subsequently introduced onto the formingsurface of the paper machine takes place at a uniform, unidirectionalvelocity to insure an even fiber deposition across the entire face ofthe machine forming surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved flowdistributor capable of changing the crosssectional configuration of aflow stream from a delivery conduit to a broad, elongated, level streamrequired for a stock feeder while obtaining uniform, unidirectional,even flow components across the broad stream for improved rstockfeeding.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatusaud method for transferring a paper stock flow stream from a relativelyrapid flowing supply conduit to a slow flowing feeder chamber byconstricting and reducing the depth of the stream and by turning thestream through an arc while controlling the flow velocities across thestream an amount to obtain uniform velocities Bfilfilfifl Patented Get.30, 1962 2 and by turning the stream in a path to obtain only forwardcomponents of flow, eliminating cross flow.

An additional object of the'invention is to provide an improved flowdistributor in which the stock is rapidly accelerated at the sametirnethat its flow direction is changed thereby producing a strongdeflocculating action just before the stock arrives at the stock feedapparatus to produce improved fiber distribution in the discharge fromthe feeder onto the forming surface of the paper making machine.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent with the teachingof the principles of the invention in connection with the disclosure ofthe preferred embodiment in the description and showing of thespecification, claims and drawings, in which:

:FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a portion of a paper making machineembodying the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along line IIII of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a schematic plan view of.a distributor employed in theapparatus of FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is aschematic transverse sectional view taken substantiallyalong line IVIV of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is another schematic transverse sectional view takensubstantially along the line V--V of FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a schematic showing in plan view of the distributorillustrating the development of the surfaces;

FIGURE 7 is a transverse sectional view in schematic form takengenerally alongthe line VII-VII of FIG-. URE 6;

FIGURE 8is a graph showingvalues which may be employed in determiningthe shape of the distributor;

FIGURE 9 is a schematic plan view of a portion of another paper makingmachine embodying .the principles of the present invention; and

FIGURES 10a and 10b are transverse sectional views of the fluid deliveryend of the distributor of the present. invention, taken substantiallyalong theline XX 'oi FIGURE 9.

As shown on the drawings:

FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrate paper forming mechanism and generallyillustrate a Fourdrinier type of paper forming surface. A Fourdrinierwire 10* is carried on .rolls 12 and 14 withadditional guide rolls 16and ..18, and.a.tensioning roll 20. The paper web is removed from thewire 10 by a take offmechanism 22 and delivered to further papertreating mechanisms, suchas presses, driers and .the like, as willbeappreciatedby those skilled in the art.

The paper stock is deposited on the wire 10 by a feeder 24 ina uniform.layer with the feeder being supplied with stock from a feeder chamber orhead box 26.

The feeder chamber for the stockis illustrated as. provided withrectifier. rolls 28 and Stlwhich are driven in rotation by a suitablemechanism, not shown. The rectifier rolls agitate the stock in thedirection of-flow to reduce flocculation and act in a manner known tothose skilled in the art. The feeder chamber is illustrated as beingprovided with an enlarged dome 32forming an air chamber therein suppliedwith air through anair line 34 from. an air pump 36... A'level control38'controls the air content in thedome 32and controls thelevel of theupper surface 40 of the flowing stockin the feeder chamberv 26.

As illustrated in FIGURE 1, the stock is supplied to the machine by astock conduit 42. This conduit may be rectangular or circular in shapeand supplies the stock at arate of flow sufficient to keep thefeederchamber 26 supplied.

From the supply codunit 42 the stock is flowed through a transformationmember 43. This transformation member is required only to smoothyconvert the cross-sectional shape from the square, rectangular orcircular to the special shape of the distributor 44 which is best shownin FIGURE 5. In accordance with well understood hydraulic principles itis desirable that this transformation provide a small acceleration ofthe fluid. From the transformation member 43 the fluid is flowedsmoothly into the distributor 44. The sector-shaped cross-section of thedistributor 44 is terminated in a slot 50. To the slot 59 is joined atriangular section composed of upper 53 and lower 55 flat parallelplates forming a nozzle delivery section which conveys the flowing stockto an expanding channel 57 forming a part of the feeder chamber 26. Thisexpanding channel permits the deceleration of the flowing stock therebypromoting a redistribution of the fiber content of the stock. Inaccordance with the principles of the present invention, the distributorchanges the shape of the flow stream of stock and controls its flow andvelocity to obtain a flow stream of the shape required to maintainuniform flow rate across the feeder chamber, and to eliminatecross-currents or lateral components of flow velocity.

The distributor 44 is formed in the shape of a sector and is illustratedwith a lower flow confining wall 46 and an upper flow confining wall 48.These walls have flat smooth planar inner surfaces which taper towardeach other to terminate section 51 (FIGURES 1, 2 and 3) consisting ofupper 53 and lower 55 flat parallel plates which transmit flow to thefeeder chamber 26 Without changing the flow velocity or direction fromthat existing along the slot 50.

The upper wall 48 is preferably inclined upwardly to prevent theaccumulation of air bubbles in the stock stream. Walls 46 and 48 whichform the stream into a wedge-shaped flow sector are bounded by a curvedback face or wall 52 to complete the sector. An incoming curved frontface or wall 54 leads to the sector. These walls are shaped to guide theflow stream as it widens or broadens to the width of the slot 50 so thatthe velocities across the stream will be controlled to obtain equalvelocities as the stream enters the slot 50. This is obtained by correctattenuation of the curved back wall 52 with respect to the front wall54. The shape of the walls 52 and 54 is such that as the liquid turnsthrough an arcuate path to enter the slot 50, the velocities along theslot will be parallel to the stream, and cross-velocities or lateralcomponents of velocity will be eliminated.

In a preferred form of the shape of the distributor, the

flow stream is controlled by the method of restriction and by wallshaving a shape in accordance with the relationship to be described.

The function of the triangular section 51 is simply to join thesector-shaped portion of the distributor 44 to the feeder chamber 26 andto carry the flow from the slot 50 to the chamber 26 without change offlow velocity or direction.

Referring now in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, it will be observed that the lineAB which is taken along the slot 50 is shown at an angle with thedirection of flow issuing through the delivery outlet 57, shown alongthe line AC. The triangular-shaped member 51 is shown, in FIGURE 4, tobe constructed of an upper flat plate 53 and a lower flat plate 55.These flat boundaries define a flow channel which receives the stockissuing from the slot 50 of distributor 44 in order that the directionof stock flow be precisely perpendicular to the width dimension of thepaper machine forming surface. Typical stifiening members 59 are shownas structural support for the members 53 and 55.

The distributor is constructed by choosing a sectorshaped cross-sectionwith the correct attenuation of the sector radius along the length ofthe distributor, as determined by the shape of the front and back walls54 and 52, respectively. In its broadest sense, the stock flowdistributor for the paper machine is required to accept stock flowing ina pipe of unspecified cross-section, but approximately as broad as wide(i.e. at least generally circular or square). The function of thedistributor is to distribute is to distribute the flowing stock evenlyacross the full width of the paper machine which is of substantialwidth. Such machines at present are as wide as 30 feet. The flowquantity and velocity must be constant across the width and be uniformlyand precisely directed at right angles to the machine width.

This will happen in the distributor 44- if there is no pressure gradientin the fluid along, or parallel to, the length of the slot 51) andtherefore no change of momentum or velocity in this direction and if thevelocity component at equal angles to'the opening slot is everywhereindependent of position along the slot. Considering the fluid flow pathsthrough the distributor, they must all be of the same shape and have thesame orientation relative to the slot.

In directions lying in a plane normal to the length direction of theslot, a sector-shaped cross-section can meet these velocity and pathrequirements and at the same time provide the conditions which satisfyboth the mass continuity requirements of an incompressible fluid and theacceleration requirements of Newtons second law of motion. For thepreliminary explanation, it is generally assumed that an ideal fluid isused without wall friction and viscosity and the effects of gravity arenot considered.

With a sector-shaped cross-section, the distributor is best consideredin a cylindrical coordinate system, as in FIGURE 6 in which the z axislies parallel to the length of the length of the slot 50, the 0 planeperpendicular thereto.

To meet the velocity and path requirements stated above, neighboringflow paths such as MN and ST must have constant spacing in the zdirection so that MS=NT=dz and each must lie wholly with an rz plane.These paths may be repeated through the sector angle by rotation of theWhole paths around the z axis. Lines MS and NT will then sweep out areasrdz and (r-l-dflpdz respectively which will be successivecross-sections, normal to the radial direction, of an incremental flowtube. If h is the outward radial velocity component at a distance r fromthe z axis and is independent of the 0 coordinate, mass continuity foran incompressible fluid within the sector requires that:

rdzh= (r+ dr) dz (h dh) Therefore:

rh= a constant and if w is the constant velocity component in the 2direction where C is a constant. This is the equation of every fiow paththrough the distributor and therefore also the equation for the radii ofthe circumferential walls 52 and 54 of the distributor, represented bycurves AF and BS in FIGURE 6.

With the distributor slot 50 at AB parallel to the z axis and a distanceR from it, where R qh is the depth of the slot, if L is its length and athe angle at which the fluid issues from the slot 50 then the equationsfor the radii R and R of the inner and outer circumferential wallsbecome:

2-z 1 la R0 2 tana R0 s,0e1,00e I when for inner wall 54 z=L; R R

and for outer wall 52 The graph (FIGURE 8) gives a plot of Equation 3for the dimensionless quantities R 0 against d dh dP(rdz) (mh) -m wherem is the mass of volume, rdzdr, of fluid. If p is its density and since:

Therefore:

dP= hdh This is in conformity with the energy requirements as expressedby Bernoulis law by which /2 p (2 I1 +P= a constant Differentiating thisfor w:a constant yields Equation 4. Further analysis of the equationsshows that the issuing flow velocity at the slot 50 is and that there istherefor an acceleration of see a in passing through the distributorwhich is coincident with this change of flow direction a. The form ofthe flow paths as shown in FIGURE 6 shows that the greater part of thisacceleration and turning takes place within a short distance immediatelybefore reaching the slot 50. A most important effect of this is in itsdeflocculating action on paper making stock of which full advantage istaken in the system illustrated in FIGURES 9, 10a and 10b in which thefeeder 24a which feeds the stock onto the wire 10a is located only ashort distance from the distributor slot 50 so that there is little timefor the stock to reflocculate.

Another result arising from the acceleration and turning being mostlyclose to the slot 50 is that the ideally original input velocity anddirection is nearly constant over the input cross-section PG (FIGURE 7)from the conduit 42, or put another way, uniform entering velocity overFG will result in only minimal disturbance in the distributor and onlyslight non-uniformity at the outlet slot.

The disturbing effects of wall friction can be seen by considering theflow paths through the distributor in conjunction with FIGURES 6 and 7.It will be noted that if the flow is laminar, flow streams through thedistributor can be considered almost infinitely small but if small scaleturbulence exists, which is more likely to be the case, they must beconsidered .to have the same lateral dimensions as the scale of theturbulence. It is seen that the fluid stream which passes through theslot 50 at z=0 travels along the back face AF of the distributor (FIGURE6), where it spreads over the whole face from F to F (FIGURE 7).Similarly the stream leaving at z=L flows along the inner face BG(FIGURE 6) and spreads over GG (FIGURE 7). These two 3. streamstherefore experience a considerable amount of wall friction, whereas allthe remaining fluid streams take paths such as shown at DH in FIGURE 6and HE in FIGURE 7, following the same curve as given in FIGURE 8.

Thus a stream which leaves the sector-shaped portion 44 of thedistributor over an area R qba'z of the slot Stl enters the distributorover I-IH having an area of rdr such that rdr=R dz and, except in thecase of boundary streams along AF or B6, only contacts the distributorwalls over the small width 2dr; furthermore, the Wall area contactedover the latter part of each stream is the same for all streams.

Apart from the triangular section 51, wall friction will, therefore,mainly have a disturbing effect on the fluid flowing out at the extremeends of the slot at 2:0 and z=L which in a paper machine can bediver-ted either to the wire pit or otherwise back into the stocksystem, as is shown with the flow from the edges of the machine at 29and 31 in FIGURE 1.

In the triangular section '51 (FIGURE 3) flow is between parallel platesin which the head loss due to friction and viscosity may be calculatedby standard engineering formulae. Due to the small depth and higher flowvelocity this loss is relatively greater than inother parts of thedistributor, and since it is directly proportional to the length of theflow path through this section, is greater near C than A (FIGURE 3), themaximum difference being between flow paths leaving at C and at A. Thisdifference can, however, be made as small as desired by increasing thedepth of slot 50 and with it the depth of the triangular section 51.

Referring again to FIGURES 3 and 4, the upper flat triangular plate 5.3and the lower flat triangular plate 55 form the parallel boundaries of apart ofthe distributor adapted to bring the issuing stock velocitiesinto precise parallelism with the direction of movement of the papermaking forming surface. Under conditions permitting a satisfactory depthof stock stream, as for example approximately 1 inch or more, it isfound .desirable toremove the top plate 53 entirely permitting theissuing stock to flow only on the lower plate 55. This has the effect ofreducing the head loss previously mentioned by approximately half.

The only other assumption made was that the effect of gravity could beneglected. Its effect will be to produce small differences of pressureand hence small velocity differences throughout the distributor, butthese will not exceed the differences which exist in the entering pipewhich are only of the order of one equivalent pipe diameter of the fluidhandled. With paper making stock, this is approximately 1 inch Hg.

Obviously the approach to the distributor inlet must not contain largescale turbulence. The required shape for the inlet could be approachedbygradual transition from a round. or rectangular pipe and thence to therequired portion of a sector. This transition, as mentioned previously,preferably should be from 5 to 10 equivalent diameters of the flowchannel and should provide for a small amount of fluid acceleration.This gradual change should only produce small scale turbulence. Sharpcorners could be avoided here and throughout the distributor by roundingoff as indicated in FIG- URE 5. This again Would produce only smallscale disturbance which would quickly die out.

Collection of air in the distributor may be avoided by having the topside 48 slope upwardly with respect to the horizontal.

It will be apparent that this distributor could feed directly to a sliceor sheet former. Alternatively it might feed through a chamber in whichsome fine scale turbulence .is introduced as shown in FIGURES 1'and'2,to reduce flocculation.

It will not be noted that the basic design formula for the sector-shapeddistributor, Equation 3, does not con- 7 tain the stock velocity, stockvolume flow or any other operating variable. The design is specific onlyto machine width.

For simplicity, the two parts 44 and 51 of the apparatus have beendescribed separately. It may be observed, however, that the sector orwedge-shaped member 44, and the flat channel triangular member 51actually constitute a functional unit (although in normal practice wouldbe manufactured as separate units to be joined in the erection of thepaper machine feeder). Thus, the curvate wall member 52 is extendedslightly, if at all, straight and tangent to form the end wall 63 ofchannel 51, while curvate wall member 54 is extended straight andtangent to form end wall member 65 of said channel.

From the foregoing, it is now clear that fluid delivered to thedistributor preferably and necessarily is delivered to the distributorfrom a conduit or channel which is posed laterally beyond the lengthlimits of the slot 50. The description sets forth a particular shape fora fluid distributor apparatus which depends only upon the shape of theouter containing walls for the desired control of flow quantity andvelocity components. As discussed above, the angle a is related to theratio of acceleration through the distributor in accordance withEquation 5. The foregoing considerations make it apparent that the anglea may range from something less than 90 to 45 or less. For theexperimental work done to date, acceleration of approximately 4 to l waschosen arbitrarily resulting in a value of the angle a of 76.

Head loss through the distributor will be small because the Wholedistributor represents only a short unobstructed flow distance through arelatively large channel.

From the point of view of construction it is noted that the back andfront faces are complex shapes, with different curvatures at rightangles, but that they are universal shapes dependent only on R so thatit is necessary only to cut off the required lengths and widths from astandard pattern.

Thus, it will be seen that l have provided an improved paper makingmachine having a flow distributor which meets the objectives andadvantages above set forth. Flow velocity and quantity is eifectivelycontrolled with the device which is not expensive in manufacture, andwhich provides the advantages stated above.

I have, in the drawings and specification, presented a detaileddisclosure of the preferred embodiments of my invention, and it is to beunderstood that I do not intend to limit the invention to the specificforms disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications, changes andalternative constructions and methods falling within the scope of theprinciples taught by my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A stock distributor for a paper machine controlling flow between asupply conduit and a feeder and comprising upper and lower sectordefining walls tapering together in the direction of flow and defining asector and terminating in an outlet slot of substantially uniform width,a curvate back wall facing the slot and leading from a lateral supplyconduit to the far end of the slot, and a curvate incoming front wallleading to the near end of the slot, said front wall shapedsubstantially in accordance with the relationship E: i E R 2 tan a R andsaid back wall shaped substantially in accordance with the relationshipwherein:

L=the length of the slot for the back wall and is equal to zero for thefront wall z=coordinate of slot length R =sector radius at the slot R=sector radius at the front wall R =sector radius at the back wall a=theangle between the issuing flow direction and the slot.

2. A stock feed system for a paper machine for supplying a flow of paperstock with an absence of velocity gradient across the machine comprisinga horizontal longitudinally extending feeding means defining an openingfor depositing liquid paper stock onto a forming member for a papermaking machine, a supply conduit positioned to supply a flow of stock,and a flow distributor having chamber forming walls defining an inletconnected to said supply conduit and an outlet defining a slot leadingto said feeding means, said walls including a fiat upwardly taperedlower wall, a flat upper wall tapering toward said lower wall with saidupper and lower walls terminating at said slot and defining asectorshaped distributor chamber with the inner end of the sector formedby said slot, an inner wall at one side of the slot, and a curved outerwall extending across the slot and defining the outer limit of saidsector and curved inwardly from said supply conduit to said slot toattenuate the sector radius along the length of the distributor anddirect flow to said slot with substantially equal velocity and flow rateacross the slot.

3. A stock distributor for a paper machine controlling flow from asupply conduit to a feeder and comprising upper and lower sectordefining walls tapering toward each other in the direction of flow anddefining a sector terminating in an outlet slot of uniform width, anarcuate back wall facing the slot and leading to the far end of the slotfrom a lateral inlet end, an arcuate incoming front wall leading to thenear end of the slot from said lateral inlet end, and means defining afiat passageway triangular in shape connected to said slot and openingin a second slot from which flow is at right angles.

4. A stock feed system for a paper machine for supplying a flow of paperstock with an absence of velocity gradient across the machine comprisinga supply line for carrying liquid paper making stock, a flow chamber forreceiving the stock in uniform flow conditions, and a distributorchamber positioned to receive the stock from the supply line and havingupper and lower enclosing walls defining a sector-shaped chamber withcurved side walls shaped to distribute the fiow from the supply line toobtain an equal flow across the width of said receiving chamber.

5. A stock feed system for a paper machine for improved papermanufacture comprising conduit means for supplying a continual flow ofliquid paper stock, a broad horizontally extending feeder for depositinga layer of stock to form a paper web, a stock flow distributor connectedbetween the conduit means and feeder and having curved walls to turn thefull flow laterally through a turn from the conduit means to the feederand obtain a substantially zero velocity gradient of the stock flow overthe cross-sectional area of the feeder.

6. In a stock inlet for a paper making machine, the combinationcomprising a horizontal longitudinally extending feeding means definingan opening for depositing stock onto a forming member for a paper makingmachine, a supply conduit positioned to direct a flow of stock to saidopening, and a flow distributor connected between the conduit and saidfeeding means having opposed upper and lower planar stock confiningwalls tapered toward each other and joining opposed curved lateral wallswith said opposed lateral walls coacting to direct the flow to thefeeding means in a flow having an absence of lateral velocity and havinguniform velocity 9 and quantity of flow toward the feeding means at alllocations in the feeding means.

7. A stock feed system for a paper machine for improved papermanufacture comprising a conduit means for supplying a continual flow ofliquid paper stock, a broad horizontally extending feeder for depositinga layer of stock to form a paper web, a stock flow chamber extendingfrom said conduit means and widening to form said feeder with side wallscurved to control flow velocity and obtain substantially constantvelocity over the width of the feeder, and an upper confining wall forsaid flow chamber slanting upwardly in the direction of flow to guidethe flow and prevent the formation of air pockets in the stock as itapproaches the feeder.

8. A stock feed mechanism for a paper machine having a horizontallyextending movable paper forming surface comprising an elongatedhorizontally extending feeder positioned to deposit a layer of stock ona forming surface to form a paper web, a horizontal broad stock flowchamber extending for substantially the width of the feeder andconnected to supply said feeder, conduit means for supplying a flowstream of stock and positioned laterally of the stock flow chamber, anda distributor extending from the conduit to the chamber and turning thefiow gradually through a horizontal arc to guide and broaden the flowstream from the conduit at the side of the chamber across the entirewidth of the chamber and into the chamber.

9. A stock feed system for a paper machine for improved papermanufacture having a paper forming surface extending horizontally andadapted to receive a thin layer of paper stock, comprising a feeder slotextending across the forming surface and positioned to deposit the thinlayer of paper stock on the forming surface, a horizontal flow chamberleading to said feeder slot and opening to the slot at its forward end,and a supply distributor connected to the rear end of the flow chamberand turning through a horizontal are and having a single inletpositioned laterally of the supply chamber to connect to a supplyconduit.

10. A stock feed mechanism for a paper machine having a moving paperforming surface comprising an elongated stock feeder slot for supplyingpaper stock to a forming surface, a broad horizontal stock chambersupplying said slot, and a single supply distributor for the 1Q chamberhaving an inlet opening horizontally and lateral of said chamber andturning through an arc to guide a stock flow stream from said laterallyopening inlet to turn and flow longitudinally into the chamber.

11. A stock feed system for a paper machine for supplying a flow ofpaper stock with uniform quantity and velocity distribution across themachine comprising longitudinally extending feeding means defining anopening for depositing liquid paper stock onto a forming member for apaper making machine, a supply conduit positioned to supply a fiow ofstock, a flow distributor having chamber forming Walls defining an inletconnected to said supply conduit and an outlet defining a slot leadingto said feeding means, said walls including a planar first wall, aplanar second Wall converging toward said first wall with said first andsecond Walls terminating at said slot and defining a sector-shapeddistributor chamber with the inner end of the sector formed by saidslot, means enclosing a channel having the same width and depth as saidslot for conducting the flow of stock from said flow distributor intosaid feeder, said channel enclosing means comprising a third wall memberat one side of said slot, and a curvate outer wall extending across theslot and defining the outer limit of said sector and curved inwardlyfrom said supply conduit to said slot to attenuate the sector radiusalong the length of the distributor and direct flow to said slot withsubstantially equal velocity and flow rate across said slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS721,746 Robinson Mar. 3, 1903 1,774,363 Fletcher Aug. 26, 1930 2,347,130Seaborne Apr. 18, 1944 2,589,639 Staege Mar. 18, 1952 2,601,655 YoungJune 24, 1952 2,677,991 Goumeniouk May 11, 1954 2,749,815 Stewart June12, 1956 2,782,692 Boronow et al Feb. 26, 1957 2,894,581 Goumeniouk July14, 1959 OTHER REFERENCES Van Der Meer: Hydraulics of Flowbox and Slice,TAPPI, vol. 37, No. 11, November 1954.

